1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a composition for external application, and, more particularly, to a composition in a form of an emulsion or cream, in which characteristics inherent to a powder are fully exhibited. The composition can be used for external application, for example, as a skin cosmetic, providing an excellent feeling upon use.
2. Description of the Background
Make-up cosmetics, oily cosmetics into which powders are formulated, carmine lotions, and the like are given as compositions for external application utilizing characteristics inherent in powders.
In many of the cases, however, formulating powders into an oily cosmetic greatly diminishes favorable characteristics possessed by powders such as excellent smoothness and extendability, moderate adherence, freshness, a good feeling on use, and the like. In carmine lotions, powders are stably dispersed into liquid only with difficulty, making precipitation of powders unavoidable during storage. This entails the nuisance of having to shake a carmine lotion for dispersing powders when used. To avoid this kind of nuisance, only very limited types of powders can be used for carmine lotions. In particular, no hydrophobic powder can be used in a system such as a carmine lotion.
In view of this situation the present inventors have undertaken extensive studies to resolve the above-mentioned problem. As a result, the inventors have found that dispersing a polyvalent metal alkyl phosphate, which is a kind of hydrophobic powder, into an aqueous medium and providing a shear force to the aqueous suspension provided an emulsion-like or creamy composition for external application, in which the above-mentioned favorable characteristics inherent to powders were completely preserved.